Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-03-19
Living for Christ.

"For me to live is Christ, and to die
is gain. Phil. l., 81.
The words of the Apostle are certainly
very singular: "For me to live is
Christ" How is it that to live is Christi"
II the great Apostle could say these
words, may you and II Was the Apos-
Hes life to represent Christi Was he in
some sense 10 be a Christ on earthi
II so, may you and ], in our lives, repre-
sent Christi May we be to the world, in
some sense, Christi Is it possible for
Us to have such a grand conception Of
life its mission, its duties, its RESPONSE
bilities7
There is a sense in which the Christian
may be said to show forth Christ in his
life. "For to live is Christ" further
signifies, that, in living we receive into
our hearts the Spirit of Christ.
'If any man have not the Spirit
Of Christ, the Apostle says, the is none
Of His" If we belong to Christ we
have the Spirit of Christ-that is, We
have mind like to His mind. Was He
amiab'e7 So are we. Was he meek2
30 are VIC. Was He patientl So are we.
Could He bear with the pcrversity of
others7 So can we. Could He bear to
be reproached without becoming angry9
So can we. Was He long suffeting1 So
are we. Could He endure prosecutions
unmoved1 So can wc---that is if we are
Christ's; for all true Christians have in.
them the mind that was in Him. 1t is
true, with this mind, We have tempta-
tons, and We have peculiarities OF dis
position, which those temptations influ-
ence; We are liable to be thrown of our
guard; we need constant watchfulness;
but just so far as we are Christ's, we
have the mind that was in Christ. Again
for US TO live is Christ" is this
that we show to the world how Christ
would live, how Christ would labor, and
toll, and suffer, and act were He in our
place. Thus we show the world that we
are His. We stand up before the world
to point out to the world what is Christ
like; what are Christ's dispositions as
manifested to that world. If then, you
are set in this world. to show to all
around you how Christ would have lived,
ia what responsible place has Christ
placed you'll What vast responsibility
rests upon you if you stand to represent
him in your temper, words and actionsl
think we may proceed still fertilizer,
and say that, in modified sense, every
one Of US stands in the relation of Christ
TO society. Isay in a modified sense.
Have you ever marked the Apostles Ian.
guagc: ''Now, then, we are ambassadors
for Christ; we pray you, in ChristS
stead, be ye reconciled to God9s , That
Is, the Apostle was standing in Christ's
stead; was talking Christ's words; was
pleading as though Christ did plead.
Now, Christ places us in this position.
We are in Christ's stead. We stand be.
fore the world to exhibit Christs lowell
ness; odo Christ's work; to live Christ's
life on and on. He has gone up to hcav-
en-. He sends His Spirit into the world.
The Spirit dwells in Christian hearts,
works out through Christian agencies to
accomplish the good that is accom-.
plished. And while we are doing this,
1t is Christ that Is working in US to will
and to do for His own glory; and we
work amid the world in Christ's stead,
and stand before thu world to represent
Christ's person.
The blind and cowardly spirit Of evi.
is forever telling you that evil things
are pardonable, and you shall not die
Tar fhann and that c,ond thsn~.. -. =